Key
persons in the success of the 13th annual
Community Prayer Breakfast held at the Woodsfield Free
Methodist Church were, front from left, Rev. Frank
Lehosky, St. Paul United Church of Christ; Rev. Susan Lehosky, Woodsfield
Presbyterian Church; Rev. Karen Binford, Trinity United Church of Christ;
and Gwynn
Clifford, pianist. Back row: Dave Phillips, Ruth
Workman, Rev. Tony Klinedinst, First Baptist Church, Woodsfield; and Rev.
Mark Deneen, speaker and pastor of the Woodsfield Church of the Nazarene.

by Arlean Selvy
Publisher
“Prayer! America’s Strength and
Shield” was the theme
for this year’s National Day of Prayer, celebrated May 1.
The day was observed by the
Switzerland of Ohio
Ministerial Association and Woodsfield Kiwanis Club
with a community prayer breakfast held at the
Woodsfield Free Methodist Church. Featured speaker at
the 13th annual event was Rev. Mark Deneen, pastor at
the Woodsfield Nazarene Church.
“We must engage the weapon of
prayer,” Rev. Deneen
told attendees. He emphasized the need for a shield
of prayer and suggested we create a ‘trigger’ for
prayer, perhaps with every cup of coffee, every Pepsi
... or with every political commercial. “A Christian
disciplines himself to prayer,” said Deneen.
“Be humble, be honest, and pray.”
Later in the program, a desk set was
presented to
Rev. Deneen by Kiwanis President Ruth Workman.
Workman noted the prayer breakfast
offers “a great
opportunity to invite people from all over the county
to come together for fellowship and prayer.” She
thanked members of the planning committee for their
dedication. Committee members were Karen Binford, Dave
and Pat Phillips, and Rev. Frank and Rev. Susan
Lehosky.
Keyboard music was provided by
Kiwanian Gwynn
Clifford from 6 a.m. until breakfast was served about
6:30 a.m.

Following the invocation by Rev. Karen
Binford, Trinity United Church of Christ, Lewisville,
“Somebody’s Prayin'” was sung by Rev. Tony Klinedinst,
pastor at the First Baptist Church in Woodsfield.
Music accompaniment was by Gwynn Clifford, who also
played for a congregational song, “Standing on the
Promises.”
Preparing the food were: Wanda Zonker,
Jean Antill,
Betty Ogden and Laura May Bertschy. Many compliments
on food preparation and presentation were heard.
Additionally, decorations of flowers, lighted candles
and lace table coverings were beautifully done by
Patricia Phillips.
Supporting agencies included the
Department of Job
and Family Services, Neighborhood Service Center,
Salvation Army, Red Cross, Ohio Food Bank and the
citizens and churches of Monroe County.

by Arlean Selvy
Publisher
Projects were selected for the 2008
CDBG Formula
projects at the April 29 meeting of Monroe County
commissioners, who also saw the opening of bids for a
new county garage.
In addition to the $10,000 in CDBG
funding committed
to Summit Township/Lewisville for windows in the
community center, the following projects will be
funded:
• Midway Community Center, sidewalk
replacement,
$13,400. The center has a cash match of $1,800. Their
request was for $16,600 for the $18,400 project.
• Lee Township, handicapped ramp at
township building
and sidewalk on Muskingum Street, $10,000. The total
cost of the project is $12,100.
• Washington Township was granted
$10,000 of an
$18,600 request for 50 frost law signs and 23
culverts.
• Salem Township was granted $9,600
to replace one
culvert on Gibbs Road and repair a slip on Daugherty
Road. Trustees had requested $9,600 toward the total
project cost of $12,500. They will supply $2,900
in-kind, stone and culvert pipe.
• Green Township will receive
$10,000 of their
$39,900 request to replace 44 culverts. Trustees
committed a $15,900 in-kind match, stone and equipment
toward the $55,800 project cost.
“All 19 projects are good ones,” said
John Pyles,
commission president, adding, “but it would take
$361,00 and we only have $74,000 [to distribute].
In addition to the six projects,
$10,000 of the
funding is used for administration and $1,000 is
mandated for the Fair Housing program.
On a motion by Commissioner Bill
Thompson, all monies
not used for the specified projects will be given to
Green Township to help with its project for 44
culverts.
Two bids were received for a metal
structure to
replace the current building housing the county
garage, the county engineer’s office and personnel.
Engineer Lonnie Tuston opened bids
from Karr
Con-tracting, Chester, Ohio and Hoon Construction of
Athens, Ohio.
The project was bid in three phases:
framing, metal
building and foundation and masonry.
Hoon Construction bid $41,542 on the
framing portion;
$122,560 on the metal building; and $84,696 on
foundation and masonry.
Karr Contracting did not provide a
bid for framing.
The metal building was bid at $193,000 and the
foundation and masonry was bid at $97,000.
Tustin will take the bids under
consideration and
make a recommendation to commissioners.
One bid was received for construction
management. On
a motion by Commissioner Francis ‘Sonny’ Block, a
contract will be signed with Swiss Valley Associates,
Matt Brake. The contract approval is contingent on the
approval of Lynn Riethmiller, prosecuting attorney.
Officials adopted a resolution
authorizing the county
engineer to apply for Transportation Enhancement funds
to repair Jericho Bridge. The total construction cost
of the project is estimated to be $599,338, of which
the county is committed to pay at least 20 percent -
an estimated $119,868.
In other business, officials entered
into executive
session with Dean Gramlich, president, Community
Improvement Corporation, and Tom Scott,
workforce/economic developer. The meeting was
requested by the CIC to discuss the sale of property.
No action was taken following the 50-minute session.
Commissioners accepted the Job and
Family Services
revised personnel manual.
Ron White, SHARE, the
management firm for Monroe
County Care Center, spoke briefly with commissioners
about moving forward with an architect and design for
assisted living at the Moore Ridge facility.
Commissioners expressed approval, but took no official
action. The Columbus firm hopes to add a minimum of 14
beds for a Medicare Certified, assisted living
section.
Approval was given for Monroe County
Metropolitan
Housing Authority to share office space with the CHIP
director at the former county home on Moore Ridge
Road.

Sub-committee reports were presented
at the April 28
meeting of Team Monroe. It was also reported that a
fifth sub-committee had been created and was
progressing well.
The monthly meeting was held in the
conference room
at Ormet, where a status report on the company’s
current activities was featured.
In addition to updated information,
Mike Griffin,
Ormet’s vice-president of operations, provided a brief
history of the company. He was accompanied by Ormet
employees and Team Monroe members, Dan Isaly,
director, industrial relations, and Deborah Nisley,
director of human resources.
Deb Haney, director, Monroe County
Job and Family
Services, introduced members in attendance and Tom
Scott, workforce/ economic developer, chaired the
meeting.
Sub-committee reports were presented
as follows:
• Marketing: co-chairs Gwynn Clifford
and Kiven
Smithberger introduced an upgraded marketing plan
proposal to the CIC Board at their April 21 meeting.
The 5-point proposal, addressing marketing of the
Black Walnut facility and the Commerce Park, had four
recommendations approved:
1) Identify key target markets:
Careful consideration
should be given to the Ohio Department of
Development’s comprehensive list of economic drivers
in southeast Ohio; Consider processes that are “up and
downstream” from existing manufacturing entities, such
as IPS, Ormet, CDI, etc.
2) Enhance prospects and site
visitation marketing
process: Economic development office will continue to
market the Black Walnut Center site; Consider the
“face” of Monroe when potential companies visit. A
professional, yet friendly, group should be assembled
that includes individuals who have current knowledge
of the tax incentives, coordination with job training
resources and other development incentives. Firms in
the Park should be part of the site selection visit
process.
3) Enhance web-based marketing:
Recommend the CIC
continue to enhance the web site for the Commerce Park
and Black Walnut Center.
4) Develop marketing collateral:
Redesign marketing
brochure. Recommendations for content include
featuring details on the infrastructure and
characteristics of the Commerce Park and Black Walnut
Center; include testimonials in the brochure.
A fifth recommendation, “Understand
site selection
processes” was tabled pending confirmation of
legalities. Although a verbal statement assures the
proposal is within guidelines, Team Monroe
chairpersons want to obtain the opinion in writing.
• Education: Phyllis Claus, chair,
attended the April
24 meeting of the Belmont Technical College Board of
Trustees to facilitate ongoing discussion of a Higher
Education facility within Monroe County. It was
mutually agreed to continue the dialogue.
• Infrastructure: co-chairs Susan
Flannery and Dan
Green-lee. The committee is continuing in its effort
to create a map disclosing all utilities within Monroe
County. They encountered concerns from Homeland
Security regarding the project.
• Transportation: Don Pollock,
chairman, continues to
review all aspects of transportation within the
county.
• Incubator / Agriculture:
Co-chairmen Dr. Hugh Hyre
and Joe Urbanek are reviewing the feasibility of
utilizing one of two facilities within Monroe County
to house an Incubator Program. Locations include the
Midway School, near Antioch, and a former
manufacturing facility owned by Urbanek on Cats Run.
A proposed Tourism Sub-committee is
on the table. “We
would like to see Stephanie Rouse become a member of
our Team Monroe,” said Tom Scott. “Her apparent
knowledge of the subject, having previously served as
county tourism director, is undisputed.”
Scott thanked each sub-committee and
sub-committee
member for their individual and collective commitments
and efforts. In particular, he recognized the
marketing and education sub-committees for the
progress they have achieved to date. Team Monroe
members who are not on a sub-committee were urged to
become sub-committee members. It was disclosed that
other sub-committees, such as Tourism, Airport, River
and Agriculture, will be evolving from the existing
committees. On going recruiting of Team Monroe members
is a constant priority.
It was unanimously agreed that group
efforts will
apply lessons learned from the past, but channel all
energies to addressing Monroe County’s economic
development issues and challenges of 2008 and beyond.
A tentative date of Dec. 31 was set
for creating a
new Master Plan. Sub-committees were reminded that
existing and future committees will be urged and
expected to provide extensive input into the creation
of the Master Plan.
Enhanced scheduling conflicts brought
about by
increased summer activities were discussed. It was
decided to allow the majority vote of membership to
determine if summer meetings should be conducted at 10
a.m., 3 p.m. or 6 p.m. during the months of May, June,
July and August. The general membership was polled via
internet and telephone. Voting was expected to be
completed by May 2.
The May meeting is set for Tuesday,
May 20, at the
Graysville Fire Hall at 10 a.m.

Belmont Technical College now has a face and a name
in the Swiss Hills Career Center, Kelly Meade.
She is the Monroe County Operations
Liaison, a
position created to give residents of the county a
person to contact for answers to questions about
higher education and the options available to them.
“I feel great to be able to make a
difference in
people’s lives and help them achieve their goals,” she
said.
Kelly is an adjunct English
instructor, being
responsible for Belmont Technical College classes such
as reading, freshman English composition, technical
writing and speech.
With years of experience
teaching high school students, coaching cheerleading
and performing arts, she is now facing challenges that
range from scheduling classes, managing teachers, and
supervising staff. Of prime importance, however, is
the support and advice she is able to offer to
students.
Mother of three children, Kelly
doesn’t stop. She
also fits into her schedule office hours at Monroe
County Works and a volunteer reading tutor position at
St. Sylvester Central School in Woodsfield. “Being
just part of the Monroe County community was not
enough, so I adopted in my life the motto: to share
the passion of learning and help students to succeed.
In this position I can do both,” adds Kelly.
Kelly can be reached at Swiss Hills
Career Center on
Mondays through Fridays from 4:30 - 6 p.m.,
kmeade@btc.edu or at 740-695-9500, ext. 1415.

Dear Editor,
National Teacher’s Day is May 6. The
following
article is dedicated in their honor…
I came across an article about
teachers that I would
like to pass on to you in hopes that after reading it,
you can see what an important part teachers play in
the lives of our children. It has been said that
teachers make too much money, and levies are voted
down because it will raise taxes. In this district, we
get by with the bare necessities and offer the same to
our children, our most valuable asset. Over the past
22 years of my career in the Switzerland of Ohio
School District, I have seen the curriculum change
from reading, writing and arithmetic to a generation
that needs parenting more than academics. School is
the only stability that some of our children have.
You, as a parent, have the right to be involved and
the responsibility to know who is teaching your child.
I applaud our educators in this district for the great
job they do. Yes, there are some good teachers, better
teachers and best teachers, but they all have the same
task to handle the good, better and best students.
Children are “gifts from God” and we must treat them
as such. I hope that after you read this article, you
will realize what a huge task each teacher has on a
daily basis. Get involved, visit the schools, meet
with teachers when your child is having trouble and
always remember to say “thank you” to the teachers
that have devoted their profession to your child.
I Am A Teacher
I was born the first moment that a
question leaped
from the mouth of a child.
I have been many people in many
places. I am Socrates
exciting the youth of Athens to discover new ideas
through the use of questions.
I am Anne Sullivan tapping out the
secrets of the
universe into the outstretched hand of Hellen Keller.
I am Aesop and Hans Christian
Andersen revealing
truth through countless stories.
I am Marva Collins fighting for every
child’s right
to an education.
I am Mary McCleod Bethune building a
great college
for my people, using orange crates for desks.
And I am Bel Kaufman struggling to go
“Up The Down
Staircase.”
The names of those who have practiced
my profession
ring like a hall of fame for humanity.
Booker T. Washington, Buddha,
Confucius, Ralph Waldo
Emerson, Leo Buscaglia, Moses and Jesus.
I am also those whose names and faces
have long been
forgotten but whose lessons and character will always
be remembered in the accomplishments of their
students.
I have wept for joy at the weddings
of former
students, laughed with glee at the birth of their
children and stood with head bowed in grief and
confusion by graves dug too soon for bodies far too
young.
Throughout the course of a day, I
have been called
upon to be an actor, friend, nurse and doctor, coach,
finder of lost articles, money lender, taxi driver,
psychologist, substitute parent, salesman, politician
and keeper of the faith.
Despite the maps, charts, formulas,
verbs, stories
and books, I have really had nothing to teach, for my
students really have only themselves to learn, and I
know it takes the whole world to tell you who you are.
I am a paradox. I speak loudest when
I listen the
most.
My greatest gifts are in what I am
willing to
appreciatively receive from my students.
Material wealth is not one of my
goals, but I am a
full-time treasure seeker in my quest for new
opportunities for my students to use their talents and
in my constant search for those talents that sometimes
lie buried in self-defeat.
I am the most fortunate of all who
labor.
A doctor is allowed to usher life
into the world in
one magic moment. I am allowed to see that life is
reborn each day with new questions, ideas and
friendships.
An architect knows that if he builds
with care, his
structure may stand for centuries. A teacher knows
that if he builds with love and truth, what he builds
will last forever.
I am a warrior, daily doing battle
against peer
pressure, negativity, fear, conformity, prejudice,
ignorance and apathy. But I have great allies;
Intelligence, Curiosity, Parental Support,
Individuality, Creativity, Faith, Love and Laughter
all rush to my banner with indomitable support.
And who do I have to thank for this
wonderful life
that I am so fortunate to experience, but you the
public, the parents.
For you have done me the great honor
to entrust to me
your greatest contribution to eternity, “Your
Children”.
And so I have a past that is rich in
memories. I have
a present that is challenging, adventurous and fun
because I am allowed to spend my days with the future.
I am a teacher…and I thank God for it
every day.
John W. Schlatter
Submitted by Janet Schwall
Woodsfield

<Obituaries(read the full obituary in the paper)
RALPH PARKS
Ralph Parks, 86, Rinard Mills, died April 28, 2008 at
Woodsfield Nursing and Rehabilitation Center after an
extended illness. He was born Sept. 14, 1921, a son of
the late Reason W. and La Vinia Scott Parks near Marr.
Online condolences may be expressed at
www.bauerturner.com.VERNON J. RUSH
Vernon James “Butch” Rush, 62,
Clarington, died April
30, 2008, at home. He was born Oct. 5, 1945, in New
Martinsville, the son of the late Vernon B. “Bunny”
and Sophie C. Lengacher Rush. Sympathy expressions at
www.grisellfuneralhomes.com.CLARA VIRGINIA MOORE
Clara Virginia Moore, 100, New
Martinsville, died
April 29, 2008, in NMHCC. She was born April 4, 1908
in Brock Ridge in Wetzel County, a daughter of Edmond
and Cora Bell Harlan Moore, Jr.RONALD D. HANNUM
Ronald D. Hannum, 71, of Barnett Rd.,
Summerfield,
died May 5, 2008, in the emergency room at
Southeastern Ohio Regional Medical Center, Cambridge.
Arrangements are incomplete at the
Brubach-Watters
Funeral Home, Summerfield.KENNETH O. SUTER
Kenneth O. Suter, 87, died April 23,
2008, at
Resurrection Nursing Center, Park Ridge, Ill. He was
born in Hannibal.JEANETTE H. NEPTUNE
Jeanette H. Neptune, 89, Medina, died May 1, 2008. She
was born Oct. 29, 1918, in Woodsfield.BARBARA ROSE SMITH LUCAS
Barbara Rose Smith Lucas, 80,
Strasburg, died April
28, 2008, at Union Hospital, Dover. She was born Sept.
30, 1927, in Muskingum County, a daughter of the late
Samuel P. Rush and Rosa Iona Bonifield Rush. Online
condolences may be expressed at:
www.bauerturner.com.KENNETH JR. SAFFLE
Kenneth Jr. Saffle, 79, Woodsfield,
departed this
life on May 1, 2008. He was born March 14, 1929, in
Woodsfield, a son of the late Kenneth and Hazel Eddy
Saffle. Online condolences may be expressed at
ww.bauerturner.com

People with integrity have firm footing, but those
that follow crooked paths will slip and fall.
The wise are glad to be instructed,
but babbling
fools fall flat on their faces.
OK, enough, enough is enough. What
happened to global
warming? An inch of snow the last of April. I looked
out the window at 3 a.m. or so, and I thought I was
having a bad dream. Then I remember back in the early
’30’s when we had a two inch snow on July 4. Not
really, but I’ll bet someone remembers. You just can’t
fool Mother Nature.
I read the other day, “Every farm boy
needs a creek,”
and it got me to thinking. I did have one when I was
growing up. We had a creek running through about the
middle of our farm.
It wasn’t a very big creek and had no
fish, but it
did have some tadpoles, water striders, frogs among
other things. I can’t remember it ever going dry, and
it was not very deep. Actually there might have been a
couple of spots or so up to your knees but mostly
about ankle deep, so you, see water sports on the
creek was limited.
Sometimes when you had been working
in the field and
couldn’t wait to get to the spring, you could flop
down and get a drink. I remember doing this one hot
day and then looking up the creek a ways. I spotted
where one of our cows had been standing in the creek
either drinking or trying to get away from heel flies
and left a deposit. After that, I made sure I checked
upstream before flopping down to get a drink.
Once a buddy and I decided if we
would dam up the
creek downstream from the deepest spot and have a
place to swim, of a sort. Well, the engineer working
on our dam had not finished all his course work, and
our dam did not work out as we had planned. We did
have fun splashing around in knee-deep water even if
our dam didn’t work out. I blame this on why I always
had a buddy take my swimming test during my time in
the Navy. We never dreamed you could have a swimming
pool in your basement. It would have never worked in
our dirt floor basement anyway, even if it had been
available. Seems like someone said something about Dog
Days and we shouldn’t mess around the creek. Oh well,
every dog has his day.
Got an e-mail from a reader the other
day expressing
his concern and support of the FFA. I happened to come
across a pamphlet explaining the Ag Mechanics program
at our career center. Among many things describing the
program, I read “Students will develop leadership
skills, community activities and mechanical skills by
participating in the FFA program.” Do we have an
active FFA program? If not, why not?
They made a big thing about rbst
being added to cows’
feed to cause an increase in their milk production.
Haven’t heard much lately. Farmers signed up not to
feed it to their cows, stores advertised they would
see only milk from cows not eating the booster.
Well, after going around and around I
guess the FDA
or someone requires the milk bottle to say the milk
containing rbst is no different than milk without it.
Far cry from the milk I drank when I
was growing up.
None of this skim milk stuff. Our milk was in the five
plus percent of butterfat. I know because that was
part of my job to test the milk in our few cows as a
part of my program in Vo Ag. We had the necessary
equipment for testing at school.
Mom would strain the milk through a
cloth, to take
any chunks out, bottle up what was needed for our
customers and I would deliver it 10 cents a quart. The
cream was skimmed off and saved for butter, although
we did have one fellow who would buy a half pint of
cream and drink it down. He was a bit obese but not
bad.
We had one lady who had a couple of
containers that
were small milk cans holding probably a quart of milk.
She only purchased a pint each day and wanted it to be
delivered in these cans. I think she knew she would be
getting a little more than a pint each day. It was OK
because a good many times she would put a cookie in
the empty can when I delivered her milk in the
evening.
I drank mostly warm milk, had no idea
how ice cold
milk tasted. We only had an ice box and a basement so
things only got cool at best. I usually drank a quart
after each milking. Mom would keep it out for me. In
the winter time we had to eat our oats without milk
but lots of sugar because our cows tapered off in
their production of milk.
When we had enough cream it was my
job to crank the
churn. One morning I was sitting on the bottom
basement steps cranking the churn when Dad came
looking for me and went on about his business. At
dinner he said, “Now, that’s real butter not that old
stuff you buy at the store.” Mom kind of grinned when
she said, “I haven’t worked up the butter. Denny
churned this morning.” Dad said nothing.
You know you’re living high on the
hog when you pull
up in your own driveway and use your cell phone to see
if anyone is home to help you carry in the groceries.
Try church Sunday; you might like it.
Bible readings: (Mon.) Psalm 137:1-7;
From Nehemiah
(Tues.) 1:1-4; (Wed.) 1:5-11; (Thurs.) 2:1-10; (Fri.)
2:11-16; (Sat.) 2:17-20; (Sun.) Psalm 138:1-5.